In sailing vessels it is usual to utilize a spinnaker for reaching and sailing down wind. A spinnaker is a triangular sail that is defined by a head with a balloon-shaped body and a clew and a tack forming the other two corners. To set this sail, a spinnaker pole is utilized, the spinnaker pole being swivably mounted to the mast and extending outwardly therefrom to be fastened to the tack corner of the spinnaker. The clew, having a sheet attached thereto, is normally led aft and the pole having a guy attached thereto, is also led aft so that between the sheet and the guy the trim of the spinnaker, as it relates to the angle of the apparent wind, may be suitably adjusted. Spinnaker poles of this nature have long been known and are exemplified as, for example, in the Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 358,673 of 1887. This patent also points up the problem that exists particularly for the cruising sailor in that it is difficult to jibe a spinnaker. Basically, while the pivoted pole might work in some situations, it has been found that the best system is raising the inner end of the pole up the mast, detaching the pole from one of the corners of the spinnaker and passing the pole down behind the head stay and re-attaching it on the other side of the vessel. To be sure this is a complicated task, which requires strength, knowledge and agaility and a fairly large crew, if the maneuver is to be completed with smart seamanship. The instant invention solves the problem of handling a spinnaker pole in a vessel, since the spinnaker pole is swivably mounted on deck at all times and it is readily controllable.